The objective of the Glycosciences Skills Development Core (Core A) is to provide training to postgraduate level scienfists (PhD, MD, MD/PhD), with the specific goal of developing their knowledge and skills in the glycosciences necessary to carry out basic and translational research relevant to the mission of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. The Core will create learning resources and train a cadre of "scientifically bilingual" investigators fluent in glycan chemistry and biology and capable of conducfing multidisciplinary research. The Skills Development Core will provide mentored research experiences including hands-on and didacfic training in basic glycosciences, with clinical correlafions and biotechnology applications. The ulfimate objective is to increase the number of highly trained and highly committed investigators pursuing careers in the glycosciences in academia, medicine, or the private sector. Towards this goal. Core A will train four to six Fellows at any one time and will also help mentor three junior faculty with interests in areas related to the glycosciences. Dr. Jeffrey D. Esko, Leader for Project 3, will also lead Core A with support through the existing infrastructure ofthe Glycobiology Research and Training Center at UCSD (GRTC;grtc.ucsd.edu).